


one day at a time

by so_larrily



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Baby Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, basically they just adopted a baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 19:02:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3866209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/so_larrily/pseuds/so_larrily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Harry and Louis adopt a baby, but Harry isn't sure he's cut out to be a father.</p>
            </blockquote>





	one day at a time

Based on this prompt from an anon:

"Can you write a larry where they just adopted a baby and one of them freaks out once they take the baby home and thinks they aren't ready to be a dad but the other calms him down and fluffy ending ensues? Thanks!"

~~~

“Is she all buckled in?”

Harry checked the car seat and safety belt for eighth time, making sure the seat was snug and secure. “Yep,” he said, stepping away from the car. “It’s nice and tight.” Louis smiled at his husband, shutting the door. Harry opened the passenger door for Louis, waiting for him to climb inside before he walked to the other side of the car; he stepped inside, started the car, and they took off.

“Can you believe it, Harry? We have a baby,” Louis grinned, reaching across the console to interlace his fingers with Harry’s. He glanced to the back of the car, almost reassuring himself that this wasn’t a dream, that they had actually just left the hospital with a beautiful newborn baby girl. Louis was more than excited. Ever since he and Harry learned they had been selected by a teenage mother to adopt her child, he was beside himself. When they went with the mother for a checkup and were told their baby was a girl, Louis nearly cried with joy. He envisioned lots of bows and dresses, tutus and Barbie dolls in their future. And now this precious girl was theirs.

“Yeah,” Harry breathed. Louis had no idea that the thoughts running through Harry’s mind were the opposite of his. Sure, Harry was excited. He and Louis had been on the adoption waiting list for three years, and when they were told they were selected, he was so happy. But now that this was actually happening, now that they had a newborn baby in the backseat, a tiny girl who would depend on them for everything, for a happy life, he was beginning to question everything. They were still young, both nearly to their thirties, so now was the perfect time to have a baby. Harry just wasn’t sure if he was fit to be a parent; he’d really only agreed to adopt because he knew how happy it would make Louis.

Before he knew it, the new family was pulling into the driveway in front of their small, homey cottage. As soon as Harry put the car in park, Louis practically leaped out, opening the back door to unbuckle the seat. “Wow, little Addison slept the entire way home.”

“I don’t think she’s woken up since we saw her this morning,” Harry said, joining Louis on the other side of the car. As if on cue, the baby’s eyes began to open, her little arms thrashing about as she started to cry.

“Uh oh, what’s wrong, baby Addy?” Louis cooed in a soft voice. Addy continued to wail as Louis finished and lifted the seat out of the car. Harry shut the door behind them. “Let’s get you inside and make you a bottle.” Louis turned to Harry. “You ready?”

Harry pursed his lips, nodding. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

The first few days went by very slowly. Addison wouldn’t sleep more than four hours at a time, so Harry and Louis were awake most of the time. They would take turns napping while the other watched over the baby. Louis seemed to be adjusting very easily. By the end of their first week as parents, Louis was content running on three hours of sleep. He was quickly learning what each of Addison’s cries meant, whether she was hungry or tired or in need of a nappy change. Harry was having trouble. He was exhausted. Nearly every time he changed a diaper, Louis would have to readjust it so it fit nice and snug. He had no idea what she was wanting when she cried, and she wouldn’t ever burp when he tried to burp her. 

Nine days after they brought her home, at 3AM on the dot, Harry and Louis were woken up by Addison’s cries. “I’ve got it,” Louis said, his voice laced with sleep. He had been spooning Harry from behind, so when Louis left the bed, Harry grew cold. No matter how he tried to wrap the blankets around him, he couldn’t get warm, so he eventually got out of bed, throwing a pair of sweats on over his boxers before making his way to the nursery…and stopped.

From their bedroom door, Harry could hear Louis talking to their daughter. He could tell his husband was trying to rock her back to sleep. Quietly, Harry snuck down the hall and peered inside the door. Sure enough, Louis was sitting in the rocking chair, gently lulling their baby to sleep with his soft voice. “Daddy loves you, sweet angel,” Louis was cooing. “And Papa loves you very much too. Papa’s having a hard time learning how to care for you, but that’s okay. He didn’t have six younger sisters like Daddy did. Daddy and Papa can’t wait to watch you grow.” He continued saying sweet nothings to the baby, but Harry had lost it. He found himself walking back to their bed and crawling under the covers. He wasn’t cut out to be a parent and he knew it.

Some time later, Louis’ cooing ceased, and he was climbing back into bed. Harry was facing away from him, but Louis, sensing something was wrong, started combing his fingers through Harry’s curls. “What’s wrong, love?” Louis leaned down and softly kissed Harry’s temple. 

Harry stifled a dry sob and sat up, flicking on the bedside lamp. “I’m gonna be a terrible parent.”

Louis’ eyebrows rose. “Now what makes you say that?”

“I dunno,” Harry confessed. “It’s just, you’re so good with Addy. And I…I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing. I think I’m doing everything wrong.”

His husband sighed. Louis had been noticing that Harry was struggling to care for Addy. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he could tell that it was seriously bothering Harry. With a small smile, Louis gently pulled Harry into a cuddling position, his curls tickling Louis’ bare chest. He rubbed Harry’s back, pressing soft kisses to his head and temples.

“Can I confess something to you?” Louis asked. When Harry nodded, he continued. “I don’t know what I’m doing either. Yes, I did help my mum care for the twins when they were babies, but I honestly have no clue how to raise one on my own. I actually have my mum on speed-dial right now, just in case I can’t figure out how to help her.” Louis chuckled. “You know, when I first told her we were adopting a baby, I was in a panic myself. And you know what she told me?” Louis put two fingers under Harry’s chin and allowed their gazes to meet. “She said that no parent has any idea what to do with their first child. It’s a learning process. Take it day by day. And don’t stress if it seems like a disaster is striking.” He then pressed a kiss to Harry’s forehead, saying, “You’re going to be a great father. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

Harry blushed, finding himself keeping tears back, and closed the distance between them with a kiss. “I love you, Daddy,” he whispered against Louis’ lips.

Louis pulled back, placing a hand over his chest in mock-shock. “Harry, we have a child now. There’s no time for kinky business.”

Shaking his head, Harry said, “With a daughter you’ll also have to keep your mind out of the gutter if either of us calls you Daddy.”

Laughing, Louis said, “I love you too, Papa.” He kissed Harry again, running his fingers through Harry’s curls while Harry stroked circles along Louis’ back. They pulled away just in time to hear whimpering coming from the baby monitor.

“Again already?” Louis asked, his forehead lingering against Harry’s. “I just changed her nappy.”

“She’s missing her daddies,” Harry smiled. “I’ll go with you this time.”

And so, hand in hand, Harry and Louis went to take care of their daughter, cooing and singing to her, ready to take on the journey of parenthood together.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! If you have another prompt idea, you can find me on tumblr at: so-larrily.tumblr.com.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :) x


End file.
